Die mechanism for cutting contiguous fasteners.



No. 786.503. v PATENTED APR. 4. 1905.

R. B. LEWIS. DIE MECHANISM FOR CUTTING GONTIGUOUS FASTENERS.

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R. B. LEWIS. DIE MECHANISM FOR CUTTING GONTIGUOUS FASTENERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.5.1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

No. 786,503. PATENTBli APR. 4. 1905.

I -R. B. LEWIS. DIE MECHANISM FOR CUTTING commuous FASTENERS.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT- 5. 1903.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

1 J u H? gxgggag Q I 7 W a J A M M, Lin v m w w 2 v H 1 Y 'tudinally and centrally UNITED STATES Patented. April 4, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. LEIVIS,

THE AMERICAN PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

DIE MECHANISM FOR CUTTING CONTIGUOUS FASTENERS.

SPEGIFICATION'forming part of Letters Patent No. 786,503, dated April 4, 1905.

Application filed September 5, 1903. Serial No. 172,135.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT B. LEwIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and use-- .ful Improvements'in Die Mechanism for Cutting Contiguous Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in die mechanism especially constructed for forming metallic fasteners or rivets of the type shown and de scribed in the Letters Patent granted upon the 28th day of October, 1902, to John S Stokes, No. 7 123L522, in which a series of rivets or fasteners are joined together in a continuous strip of indefinite length, each rivet or fastener comprising a head and two prongs extending outward from the head at opposite sides thereof, the points of the prongs of one rivet or fastener being connected to the heads of adjacent rivets or fasteners and the prongs of the fasteners being slightly separated one from the other by diagonally-arranged punchopenings and all the fasteners of the strip being disposed at an angle to a line taken longiof the strip. Continuous fasteners or rivets of this type are formed from a thin metallic ribbon by cutting opposite edges of the strip to form portions of the heads and the prongs of therivets or fasteners and then punching out equidistant diagonal slots or openings to form the opposite sides of the prongs and heads, the resultant article being a continuous strip of contiguous rivets or fasteners. This strip is fed into a forming and setting-up machine, where the fasteners are severed and applied one at a time.

Considerable difficulty has been experienced in providing suitable means for cutting a rivet or fastener strip of the type described, owing to the fact that the fasteners are comparatively smallthus requiring the edgetrimming cutters to be placed close together, and an attempt to provide means for cutting the opposite edges of the strip and simultaneously punching out the diagonal slots between the said edges as they are being trimmed or cut proved to be a failure from a practical manufacturing standpoint of view, chiefly because of the fact that the die mechanism thus constructed to simultaneously cut and punch the strip could not be made strong and durable enough to withstand the strains and wear to which it was subjected during operation.

My present invention is designed to overcome the objections set forth above, and the means I employ comprises die members constructed to trim the opposite edges of a metallic ribbon to form portions of the heads and prongs of the fasteners and a suitable punch or punches for punching out the equidistant diagonal openings to form the opposite sides of the prongs and heads, these two operations being carried on simultaneously, but at difierent portions of the strip, means being also provided to properly guide and center the strip relatively to the cutters and punches, so as to insure a true register and alinement of the parts.

In the accompanying specification and drawings I have shown and described one embodiment of the invention wherein the metallic ribbon is first cut or trimmed on opposite sides for the purpose heretofore set forth and. the diagonal slots then cut therein; but I wish it understood that I may carry on these operations in a reverse order-namely, first cut out the diagonal slots and then trim the opposite edges of the strip. From this statement it will be understood that the salient feature of the invention is the employment of means for forming continuous strips of completely-formed fasteners of the type described by separately performing the trimming and punching operations.

In order to enable others to clearly understand, make, and operate my said invention, I will now proceed to describe the same in de tail, reference being had for this purpose to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of the die mechanism complete for forming contiguous fasteners of the character described, the parts of the mechanism being separated for the Fig. 2 is a horizontal secsake of clearness.

tional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 5. tempered steel, the lower end of which is Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lower member of slightly eoncaved, as at 12, to provide sepathe die mechanism, the punch-guide and striprate cutting edges to facilitate the initial entry per beingshown in place upon the lower memof the punch into the stock without buckling 5 ber of the die mechanism. Fig. 4 is a plan the same. The punches are securely held be- 7 view of the lower member of the die mechantween the retainer-plates 9 by means of pins ism, the punch-guide and the stripper being 13. By mounting the punches in the manner removed. Fig. 5 isa vertical sectional view of described it will be seen that in case of rup the die mechanism complete. Fig. 6 is atransture or breakage of any of the punches of the IQ verse sectional view taken on the line 6 6, gang the ruptured or injured punch can be 75 Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view readily removed and a new punch substitaken on the line 7 7 of Figs. 2, 3, and 4. tuted therefor. The objectof employing the Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on plurality of spacer-plates 8 is to enable the the line 8 8 of Figs. 2, 3, and 4.. Figs. 9 and punches to be readily adjusted to compensate I 5 10 show, respectively, an end elevation anda for wear during operation, it being under vertical sectional view of a slightly-modified stood that the cutting ends of the punches reform of stripper; and Fig. 11 is a plan view quire sharpening from time to time, which of the fastener-strip, illustrating the several sharpening operation necessarily shortens the stages of the trimming and punching operapunches, and this shortening can be readily 2o tions. compensated for by simply inserting addi- 5 Like numerals of reference indicate corretional spacer-plates as required. sponding parts throughout the several figures. The number 14 designates an alining or cen- The numeral 1 designates the upper reciptering pin or blade, which is arranged in front rocatory member of the die mechanism, which of the outermost punch of the gang, said pin 25 comprises a metallic head having two lower or blade being located between and fastened 90 faces arranged on different planes, said head to the plates 9 similar to the manner of mountbeing provided with an integral shank 2, by ing the punches 10, as before described. The which it may be secured toa suitable rccipobject of this alining or centering pin or blade rocatory press. (Notshown.) The said head is to enter one of the diagonal openings formed 0 is further provided in its lowermost face with in the strip during the punching and cutting 95 a centrally-arranged longitudinal groove 3 to operation to accurately center and aline the receive a stripperbar, which will presently strip in such position as to insure a proper be described. engagement of the cutters and punches with The means employed for trimming the opthe strip relatively to the previously-formed 3 5 posite edges of the metallic ribbon from which punchings and cuttings. By referringto Fig. I 0 the fastener-strip is formed comprises two 5 of the drawings it will be seen that the lower similarly-constructed platesLwhich are firmly end of the alining or centering pin or blade but removably secured to the under side of projects below the lower end of the punches the lowermost face of the head 1 by means of in such a manner that during the operation of screws 5. Each plate is provided along its the head the said pin or blade will enter the 5 inner longitudinal edge with a downwardlydiagonal slots slightly in advance of the enextending flanged portion 6, and each flange gagement of the punches with the strip, and is provided with a cutting edge 7, shaped to to facilitate the entry of the said centering cut opposite edges of the metallic ribbon to pin or blade its lower end is slightly beveled form portions of the heads and prongs of the on opposite sides, as at 15. 110 fasteners, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2 It will be seen that the centering pin or and 11 of the drawings. In the present inblade serves to hold and aline the strip near stance I have shown the cutters as constructthe outer end of the die mechanism only aded to form a gang of four rivets or fasteners; jacent to the punches, and I have found that but it will be understood that these cutters it is desirable to provide additional means for 5 may be constructed to form a greater or aless guiding and centering the strip at a point adnumber of such fasteners. jacent to the edge-trimmers also. To accom- To the under face of the uppermost plane plish this end, I have provided what I term a of the head 1 is removably secured, by means pilot, which consists of two separate plates of screws, a plurality of superposed thin mc- 16, secured to the head 1 central]; between tallic spacing-plates 8, and upon the lowerthe innermost punch of the gang and .the inmost plate are removably secured by screws ner end of the edge-trimming cutters, as more a pair of retainer-plates 9, the adjacent edges clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The lower of which are cut on a zigzag line, and between ends of these pilot-plates are slightly rounded the adjacent walls of some of said zigzag lines and extend down below the edge-cutters and 5 are fitted the ends of the punches 10 for formare so arranged that as the head 1 descends to ing the diagonal slots between the adjacent bring the cutters and punches toward themeprongs of the fasteners. As more clearly tallic ribbon they will straddle and engage shown in Figs. 2 and 5 of the drawings, each opposite sides of the previously-formed head punch 10 consists of a substantially flat bar of l of a fastener to hold'and aline the strip or 3 punching mechanism.

ribbon in advance of the action of the edgecutters, thus insuring an absolutely true register of the punches and cutters with the fastener-strip relatively to the previously-formed fasteners.

The lower member of the die mechanism comprises a base-block 17, having removably attached thereto by screws an end piece 18 and a bed-block 19, which are located at opposite ends thereof, and between the said end piece and bed-block are located two blocks 20, the upper face of each of which is beveled or inclined in opposite directions, as at 21. (See Figs. 1 and 6.) These blocks 20 are slightly separated from each other,and between the two is located the male member 22 of the trimming-cutters, which cooperates with the trimming edges 7 of the cutters heretofore described. The opposite edges of the said male member 22 are shaped to conform to the cutting edges of the edge-trimmers and are so positioned relatively thereto that the said edgetrimmers will straddle the same during its descent or during the cutting or trimming operation. Secured to the upper face of the bedblock 19 are a series of similarly-constructed and oppositely-arranged blocks 23,the adjacent ends of which are cut away on zigzag lines, as at 24, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the said adjacent ends of the plates being recessed, as at 25, to provide an opening between each pair of opposite blocks corresponding in outline to the shape of the punches 10, these openings thus forming the female member of the The base-block 17 and the bed-block 19 are both hollowed out or recessed centrally, as shown at 26, Fig. 5, to permit the escape of the scrap-punchings from the fastener-strip made by the punches.

Secured to and mounted slightly above the bed-block 19 is a pair of similarly-constructed guide-blocks 27, having their adjacent edges cut on zigzag lines, as at 28, and provided with openings 29, (see Fig. 3,) through which openings the punches pass during operation and by which they are accurately guided and directed. Arranged directly above but slightly removed from the male member 22 of the ed getrimming die is a stripper-bar 30, said bar being secured at its inner end by a pin 31 to a plate 32, which latter is attached to the guideblocks 27 and which is secured at its front end by means of a pin 33 to a U-shaped yoke 34, said yoke being adj ustabl y attached to the end block 18 by means of screws 35 passing through elongated slots 36 in the ends of the yoke.

Die mechanism of the type herein described must necessarily be made of highly-tempered steel in order that the parts thereof may withstand the Wear and tear to which they are subjected during operation, and it has been found that tempering the various parts of the die after their formation ofttimes tends to so shrink or contract them that they will not properly and accurately fit and assemble one within the other after the tempering operation, and it is to overcome this objection that l have constructed my die mechanism from a number of separable interlocking and interchangeable parts or elements, thus enabling me to readily and quickly substitute new parts for those which it improperly. This manner of constructing the die mechanism also enables a ready and quick substitution of a fresh part for a broken one in case of rupture or injury to any of the elements, thus avoiding the necessity and saving the expense of making an entirely new die.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have illustrated a slightlymodified form of stripper which differs from the stripper-bar heretofore described in that it is yieldingly mounted instead of beingfixed. In the said figures the numeral 37 designates the head corresponding to the head 1 of the other views, and 38 designates the male member of the edge trimmer 0r cutters. The head 37 has formed therein a plurality of recesses or sockets 39, in each of which is mounted a plunger 4:0, and to the lower end of these plungers is attached the stripper-bar L1. Coilsprings 42 are located in the recesses 39 in the head and exert a yielding pressure upon the plungers in such manner as to force the stripper-bar 4L1 downward upon the metallic ribbon with a yielding pressure. Undue downward movement of the plungers and stripperbar is prevented by the heads of the plungers coming in contact with inwardly-projecting portions 43 of the edge-trimmers, as more clearly shown in Fig. 9.

The operation of the die mechanism may be briefly stated as follows, it being assumed that the parts thereof are mounted in a suitable stamping-press having a reciprocating part and a bed: A thin metallic ribbon. such as shown at A to the right of Fig. 11, is fed in a step-by-step manner between the male member 22 and the stripper-bar 30 of the die mechanism, it being understood that the feeding of the strip is effected during the downward movement of the head 1. On the descent of the head the edge-trimming cutters are brought into engagement with the metallic ribbon and the opposite edges thereof are trimmed so as to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of rivets or fasteners, as shown at B to the right of Fig. 11. On the ascent of the head upward movement of the strip therewith, which is likely to occur owing to the fact that the edges thereof have a tendency to cling to the cutters, is prevented by the stripper bar 30, which serves to forcethe strip from between the cutters. \Vhen the edge-trimmers have moved sufliciently up to clear the strip, the latter is fed forward a suflicient distance to bring the first partially-formed fastener of the series under the first punch of the gang, and on the next descent of the head the punches will enter the strip at equidistant points properly arranged relatively to the previously-formed heads to punch diagonally-arranged slots therein, and thus form the remaining sides or portions of the prongs and heads of the previously partially formed fasteners, as shown at U in the left of Fig. 11, which punching operation completes the fastener-strip, the said strip in its completed form comprising a plurality of completely-formed connected fasteners, the points of the prongs of one fastener being joined to the heads of the adjacent fasteners. After the first gang of fasteners has been formed as just described and on the continued operation of the die mechanism it will be seen that the alining or centering pin or bladewill upon each descent of the head enter one of the previm1sly-formed diagonal slots and accurately center and aline the strip relatively to the punches and trimming mechanism, so that these elements will act upon the strip at the proper point to accurately and truly perform their operations. In like manner the pilot before described will engage opposite edges of the strip to aid in more accurately alining the same. The foregoing operations are carried on continuously, the strip being fedintermittently as the die mechanism is performingthe punching operations.

While I have herein shown and described my improved die mechanism as constructed to make a strip of continuous fasteners of a particular form, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to mechanism for making only strips of this conliguration, for it will be obvious that other forms of strip may be made by changing the conliguration of the edge-trimmers and the position or conliguration of the punches. The broad invention here sought to be protected is die mechanism for forming a continuous strip of connected rivets having openings therein, said mechanism comprising edge-trimmers and punches, the said two elements being arranged to act separately upon the stock at different points along its length to simultaneously trim opposite edges of the stock at one place and form openings therein at another place, with means for accurately alining and centering the strip relatively to the punches and cutters.

I believe that I have invented a novel method of forming a strip of the character herein shown and described; but I do not claim the same herein, as the method will .form the subject-matter of a separate application for patent.

What i claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising means for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of contiguous fasteners, and means for punching properly-spaced openings in said strip to complete the formation thereof, said trimming and punching means operating simultaneously along difierent portions of the strip.

2. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising cutters for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of contiguous fasteners, and punches for forming equidistant openings in the strip between the previously-formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, said cutters and punches operating along different portions of the strip.

3. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising means for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of contiguous fasteners,means for punching properly-spaced openings in the strip between the partially-formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, and means for centering and alining the strip during the operation of said mechanism.

4. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising cutters for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of contiguous fasteners, punches for forming equidistant openings in the strip between the previously formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, said cutters and punches operating along different portions of the strip,and means for centering and alining the strip.

5. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a pair of cutters for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of contiguous fasteners, punches for forming equidistant openings in the strip between the previously formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, said cutters and punches operating along different portions of the strip, and an alining pin or blade operating to enter one of the previously-formed openings in advance of the punches to properly aline the strip.

6. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising-a pair of cutters for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of contiguous fasteners, punches for forming equidistant openings in the strip between the previously-formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, said cutters and punches operating along dilferentportions of the strip, an alining pin or blade operating to enter one of the previously-formed openings in advance of the punches to properly aline the strip and means operating upon another part of the strip adjacent to the edge-trimmers to center and support the strip.

7 Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a pairof cutters for trimming opposite edges of a strip to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of contiguous fasteners, punches for forming equidistant openings in the strip between the previously-formed heads to complete the formation of the strip, said cutters and punches operating along different portions of the strip, an alining pin or blade operating to enter one of the previously-formed openings in advance of the punches to properly aline the strip and a pilot arranged to engage opposite edges of the strip in advance of the edge-trimmers to center and support the strip.

8. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a head, a pair of edgetrimming blades and a gang of punches carried by the head, said punches located in line with the blades, and a base-block carrying a male member which cooperates with said ed gctrimmers and female members which cooperate with said punches.

9. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a head, a pair of edgetrimming cut-ters and a gang of punches carried by the head, said punches located in line with the cutters, abase-block carrying a male member which cooperates with said edge-cutters and female members which cooperate with said punches, and a stripper-bar cooperating with the said edge-cutters and their cooperating male member.

10, Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a head, a pair of edgetrimming cutters and a gang of punches carried by the head, said punches located in line with the cutters. a base-block carrying male and female members which cooperate respectively with said cutters and punches, a stripper-bar interposed between the said cutters, and a guide-block having openings therethrough for the punches.

11. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a head, a pair of edgetrimming cutters removably connected to said head, a pair of plates also connected to said head and having their adjacent edges cut away on zigzag lines, punches having their upper ends located between the adjacent edges of said plates and secured thereto, and a baseblock carrying male and female members which cooperate with said cutters and punches.

12. In die mechanism of the character described, a head having its under face formed on two planes, a pair of edge-trimming cutters connected to the lowermost plane, a pair of abutting plates removabl y secured to the upper plane, the adjacent edges of said plates being cut away on zigzag lines, and punches having their upper ends located between the adjacent edges of the plates and secured thereto.

13. Die mechanism of the character described, comprising a head, edge-trimming cutters and punches carried by said head, a base-block, male and female die members carried by said base-block and cooperating with the said cutters and punches, said female die member comprising a plurality of abutting blocks the adjacent ends of which are cut away on zigzag lines and recessed.

14. In die mechanism of the character described, the combination with a gang of diagonally-arranged punches, of a cooperating female die. member comprising a plurality of abutting blocks the adjacent ends of which are cut away on zigzag lines and recessed to provide a series of punch-openings to receive the punches.

15. Die mechanism for forming contiguous metallic fasteners of the character described, comprising a head carrying a pair of edgetrimming cutters shaped to trim opposite edges of the metallic ribbon to form portions of the heads and prongs of a gang of fasteners, a series of punches also carried by the head and arranged in line with the cutters, each punch comprising a flat diagonally-arranged blade, and male and female die members cooperating with said cutters and punches respectively.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT B. LEIVIS. l/Vitnesses:

CHAS. H. BURR, FREDERICK Gr. FARQUHAR. 

